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Chinese New Year begins today. This year it is the Year of the Rabbit. Yesterday was Groundhog Day, but since I write my columns in advance, I do not know whether Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.
No, gentle readers, I am not going to give you recipes on how to stew Phil or roast Thumper, although I am quite fond of rabbit. Celebrate Chinese New Year with easy-to-prepare Asian cuisine.
Celebrations will take place in Chinatown over the next few weekends. I always visit the hustle and bustle of this colorful neighborhood during the New Year. I delight in the dragon dance and the pounding of drums as residents make their way through the streets. I can spend hours in Asian stores and supermarkets. I always wear red, which is the color of good luck in Asian cultures.
It is the reason First Lady Michelle Obama wore a red gown to the recent state dinner in honor of China’s President Hu Jintao. The streets of Chinatown will be decked out in red ribbons and the welcoming feeling from merchants and restaurant owners is quite contagious.
Look inside the refrigerator for soy, Sriracha, hoisin, oyster, fish sauce, toasted sesame oil or a small hand of fresh ginger. Several generations ago, these ingredients were deemed exotic. Today, they are used to prepare tasty Asian-style dishes.
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with these dishes from “Ethnic Cuisine: The Flavor-Principle Cookbook” by the late Elisabeth Rozin, a food historian and fine home cook who I am happy to have called my friend.
Chinese Roast Pork
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
3 tablespoons of dry sherry
2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons of honey
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon of ginger, finely minced
1-1/2 pounds of boneless pork loin
Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients and mix well.
Place the pork in a baking dish. Pour on the marinade. Marinate the pork for two hours, turning frequently.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roast the pork for 50 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve with duck sauce if desired.
Serves three to four as a main course, six to eight as an appetizer.
Note from Phyllis: Although dry sherry has a distinct flavor, you can substitute dry white wine. It will work fine in this recipe.
Szechuan Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
7 tablespoons of water
3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons hot bean paste
3 tablespoons of bottled chili sauce
3 tablespoons of sesame oil
1/4 cup of ginger, finely minced
6 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons of scallions, chopped
1 pound of raw shrimp, peeled
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the water, vinegar, sugar, bean paste and chili sauce. Mix thoroughly until the paste is smooth.
In a large frying pan or wok, heat the sesame oil over high. Add the ginger, garlic and scallions and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Add the shrimp and stir-fry just until it turns pink, for about two minutes.
Add the soy sauce mixture and bring quickly to a simmer, stirring constantly. Combine the cornstarch and the remaining water. Gradually pour into the pan until the sauce thickens.
Serve immediately with plain rice.
Serves three.
Note from Phyllis: If you do not own a wok, merchants in Chinatown sell a variety of them at moderate prices. If you like to stir-fry, a wok is an inexpensive investment.
Chinese Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups of cabbage, shredded
1 medium cucumber, peeled and shredded
2 carrots, shredded
1 medium green pepper, seeded and shredded
1 medium sweet red pepper, seeded and shredded
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ginger, finely minced
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon of dry sherry
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
Directions:
Thoroughly mix the vegetables with the salt and let stand for one hour.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Blend well with a fork.
Place the vegetables in a large strainer or colander and wash thoroughly with running cold water. Drain thoroughly.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Chill before serving.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: You can substitute a dry white wine for dry sherry in this recipe. SPR
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